Valley Victory son to stand in Ohio

Home Stretch, the fifth fastest son of Valley Victory, will begin breeding duties immediately at Hagemeyer Farm in Ohio at an introductory fee of $1,000.

His mark of 1:53.3f was taken at Harrah's Chester, and the only faster sons of Valley Victory are Muscles Yankee, Lindy Lane, Bullville Victory, and Victory Dream. In his record mile, he went wire-to-wire for driver David Miller, drawing off in the homestretch to win by five lengths. His sophomore record of 1:56.2f was taken at Hazel Park defeating older horses in the Open Trot.

Home Stretch won multiple times every year from age two through age seven and retired with 45 wins, 19 seconds, and 11 thirds. He banked $314,645.

"The fact that he won every year he raced and that he raced so long proves his soundness,” said Scott Hagemeyer. "He was great on smaller tracks and that's so important when selecting a stallion in Ohio. This is a very nice horse with correct conformation.”

Home Stretch is a product of Valley Victory on a Speedy Crown mare, the same cross that produced the best siring sons of Valley Victory. Sons of Valley Victory have been extremely popular and have sired numerous winners of the Hambletonian, Breeders Crowns, and other major stakes.

Home Stretch's dam is a sister to Lady Lexington, winner of the World Trotting Derby filly division. She is also a sister to the dam of Running Sea, winner of the Kentucky Futurity and later an international trotting star. Home Stretch hails from one of the strongest trotting families of the last century. Home Stretch is owned by Mike Gulotta of New Jersey. He also brought the pacing stallion World Of Rocknroll to Hagemeyer Farms to take advantage of the increased purses expected when VLTs begin operating in the Buckeye State.